Internal combustion engine



Jan. 26, 1932. G. PLATO I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 21, 1929 GEM-MEET PLATO INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS: [2

Jan. 26, 1932.

G. PLATO INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed March 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GER/MED T PL A TO INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS. fizz Patented Jan. 26, 1932 .G-ERHARD'I PLAH PO, OF CHICAGO, ."lLLINOIS INTERNAL coivrnnsrron ENGINE Original application fi1ed-March"'21, 1929, SeriaI N 0. 348,873,

new Patent No. 1,766,401, dated June 24, 1930.

Divided and this application filed February 3, 1930. Serial'No. 425,674.

This invention relates ftoian internal =c0mbustion engine, this invention being a divisionof my Patent N 0. 1,766,401, June 24, 1930. i

The generalobject ofthe-present invention is to provide ashutter valve for controlling the inlets forthe Efuel and airand the GXL haust of the gases and of theair.

This :invention also consists in certain other features of construction .and in the combination and arrangementof the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, 11- lustrated :in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the fiPPended claims. 9

In describing the invention in detail, reference will beihadto theaccompanying drawlngs wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts ithreughout the several views, and "in which Figure 1 is an elevation, section, 0f the improved motor, ithe parts being shown in the position they occupy when the charge is being ignited. 25

Eigurefl is a 'seetionlon line 2-2 of Figure 1.v r

Figure-3 isa viewsimilar to Figure 1, but showing the parts in a position to draw the mixture into the cylinder.

Figure 4vi-saztop plan View.

In these drawings,-the numeral 1 indicates a crankcase which is provi'ded with a flange 2 around theopemng .111 .itsnpper part, and 3und1cates the cylinder, .the lower end of which is slidably arranged in the flanged? opening. A number of pairs of'anchor members A.- .have their upper ends bolted to a flange :5 on the cylinder an appreciable dis-' tance from thelower-end thereof, and the members of each pair are conne'cted together byra shoedatthe lower endsef the members which .is (formed with a .concaved upper face having-a rounded ,projection 7 at the center thereof. Each member i-salso formed with a shoulder forming projection 8 adjacent the upper .end thereoff As will "be seen, these :EHlClflOl members extend into chambers 79 formed atthe sides of the crank case :1, through means ofthe side ,plates 10' and the partitions :11, these with parts in partitions terminating a distance below the crankshaft 12. This crank shaft is connected bythe rod *13with thepiston 1a in the cylinder; A cam -carrying gear 15 is arranged in each c'hamber'9, each-gear being rotatably supportedfin the chamber by an annular rib 16 on the outer zfaceofthe" gear engaging an annular groove :17 in'the plate crank shaft. Thus thegearsare driven from the crank shaft. Each gear carries the three -1 cams 20,21 and 22. The cam QOcarrieS single projection 20 for engaging the shoe 6 and its projection 7,*for forcing theanchor members downwardly and thus *lowering'the' cylinder from the position it occupiesin -'j Figure 3, to'that which-it occupies in Figure l. The cam 22 is formed with a pair' of depressions 0r'rece'sse's22 slightly spaced-apart for receiving. the projections '8 when 'the part 20 o'f'the cam 20 is 'in engagement with the projection 7 of the sheet the rest ofthe cam 22'bei'ng of circular shape for-engaging the projections 8 and thus holding 'the 'cyl-f inder in raised'position.

Itwill'bennderstood that this arrangement a of cams and anchor members is located on each side of the engine, as shown in Figure 2,

and the parts are, so arranged .tha t the cylin--' (ler'will belowered just before the compressed mixture is ignited andthecrankof the shaft 12 has passed dead center. This downward movement of the cylinder not only acts to highly compress the mixture between itself and-the piston, but it also acts to prevent the force of the charge on the piston acting on r the crank shaft when the same is in dead center, as this force is exerted on "the pulling load. Y A passage 23 is arranged in theupper end orhead of the cylinder and "is in communicaticn with the cylinder by a port24 which is controlled'bya valve 25 normallyheld to its seat by a'spring '26, thevalve being opened by a rocker arm 27 pivoted to a post 28 on the head of the cylinder, and a 'li11'k29'connects the rocker arm with a push rod which is guided for vertical movement in an upper part of the crank case, and the lower end of this push rod engages the cam 21 so that during the movement of the member 15 in the left hand chamber 9, the cam 21 will open the valve and then permit the valve to be closed by its spring 26.

A manifold 31 is attached to the head of the cylinder and has three passages I, A and E therein, all of these passages being in communication with the passage 23 which is provided with a flaring outer end for this purpose. It will be understood that the passage I is connected with a carbureter or other source of fuel, the passage E with an exhaust pipe and the passage A opens to the atmosphere. A shutter valve 32, of semi-circular shape, is arranged in a substantially circular housing 33 which intersects the junction of the manifold with the passage 23. and this shutter valve is formed with a single port 34 which registers with each of the passages I, A and E during the movement of the shutter valve. The pivot pin 35 of the valve has an arm 36 thereon which is connected by a link 37 with a push rod 38 guided for vertical movement in an upper part of the crank case and in an upright 39 connected with the crank case. A spring 40. engaging a projection on the push rod and the bent upper end of the upright, tends to hold the push rod with the valve 32 in a position with its ports 34 registering with the exhaust passage E. and this spring also holds the lower end of the push rod in engagement with the cam 21 at the right hand side of the engine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that on the intake stroke of the piston. the cam 21 at the right will have moved the shutter valve to the position it occupies in Figure 3, with the port 34 opening communication between the intake I and the passage 23 and the cam 21 on the left has opened the valve 25. Thus the downward movement of the piston will draw fuel into the cylinder. When the piston starts to move upwardly. the valve 25 will be closed by its spring 26, as the left cam 21 has moved to a position to permit this closing and the spring 40 has moved the valve 34 to a position where the port 34 will place the exhaust E in communication with the passage 23 as the right cam has moved from under the push rod 38. When the compression stroke is about finished, the cams 20 will have their parts 20 engaging the projections 7 on the shoes 6, so that the anchor members are caused to move downwardly, pulling the cylinder with them, so that the combustion chamber is reduced and the charge greatly compressed. The highest compression takes place about onetenth of the circumference of the path of the crank over dead center. The charge is then ignited and the piston moves downwardly on its power stroke. The

cams 20 then disengage the projections 7 and the cylinder returns to its raised position through the action of the expanding gases and also due to the fact that the high part of the cam 22 engages the projections 8 and thus holds the cylinder and its associated parts in raised position. In order to prevent the lowering of the cylinder from opening the valve 25, the left cam 21 is formed with a recess 21 in its low part. When the power stroke is performed, the valve 25 is opened by the left cam'21 and as the valve 32 has opened the exhaust, the exhaust gases can pass through the passages 23 and E. When the exhaust stroke is performed, the valve 25 remains open and the shutter valve 32 is moved by the right cam 21 to its central position so that its port 34 will open the air passage A and this air will be drawn into the cylinder by the down stroke of the piston and then the air will be exhausted by the up stroke of the piston, the valves remaining open during these tw'o strokes.

On the next down stroke of the piston, the valve 25 remains open and the shutter valve moves to a position where its port 34 will open the inlet I, so that an explosive mixture will be drawn into the cylinder. It will thus be seen that the engine works on the sixcycle principle.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be lnade in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In an internal combustion engine, including a cylinder, a piston and a crank shaft connected with the piston, a chamber in communication with the combustion space of the cylinder, valve means controlling such communication, inlet, exhaust and air passages in communication with the chamber, a valve having a single port therein for controlling the communication of each passage with the chamber and means for actuating the valve from the crank shaft.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a crank case, a crank shaft passing through the same, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting the piston with the crank shaft, the head of the cylinder having a passage therein and a port connecting the passage with the upper end of the cylinder, a normally closed valve controlling the port, a cam operated from the crank shaft, actuating means for the valve operated by said cam, a manifold having an inlet and exhaust and an air passage therein, all communicating with the passage in the head, a valve having a single port therein for controlling the three passages in the manifold, a cam on GERHARDT PLATO. 

